The Merry Wives of Windsor The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] · William Shakespeare
SCENE II. _A room in FORD’S house._
_Mrs Page._ Of none but him; and swears he was carried out, the last time he searched for him, in a basket; protests to my husband he is now here; and hath drawn him and the rest of their company from their sport, to make another experiment of his suspicion: but I am glad the 30 knight is not here; now he shall see his own foolery. _Mrs Ford._ How near is he, Mistress Page? _Mrs Page._ Hard by; at street end; he will be here anon. _Mrs Ford._ I am undone!--the knight is here. _Mrs Page._ Why, then, you are utterly shamed, and 35 he’s but a dead man. What a woman are you!--Away with him, away with him! better shame than murder. _Mrs Ford._ Which way should he go? how should I bestow him? Shall I put him into the basket again? _Re-enter FALSTAFF._ _Fal._ No, I’ll come no more i’ the basket. May I not 40 go out ere he come? _Mrs Page._ Alas, three of Master Ford’s brothers watch the door with pistols, that none shall issue out; otherwise you might slip away ere he came. But what make you here? 45 _Fal._ What shall I do?--I’ll creep up into the chimney. _Mrs Ford._ There they always use to discharge their birding-pieces. Creep into the kiln-hole.
_Mrs Page._ Heaven guide him to thy husband’s cudgel, and the devil guide his cudgel afterwards! _Mrs Ford._ But is my husband coming? _Mrs Page._ Ay, in good sadness, is he; and talks of the basket too, howsoever he hath had intelligence. 80 _Mrs Ford._ We’ll try that; for I’ll appoint my men to carry the basket again, to meet him at the door with it, as they did last time. _Mrs Page._ Nay, but he’ll be here presently: let’s go dress him like the witch of Brentford. 85 _Mrs Ford._ I’ll first direct my men what they shall do with the basket. Go up; I’ll bring linen for him straight. [_Exit._ _Mrs Page._ Hang him, dishonest varlet! we cannot misuse him enough. We’ll leave a proof, by that which we will do, 90 Wives may be merry, and yet honest too: We do not act that often jest and laugh; ’Tis old, but true,--Still swine eat all the draff. [_Exit._ _Re-enter MISTRESS FORD with two SERVANTS._ _Mrs Ford._ Go, sirs, take the basket again on your shoulders: your master is hard at door; if he bid you set it 95 down, obey him: quickly, dispatch. [_Exit._ _First Serv._ Come, come, take it up. _Sec. Serv._ Pray heaven it be not full of knight again. _First Serv._ I hope not; I had as lief bear so much lead.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.